Tuesday, April 1, 2014

Bathroom Cabinet Remodel - Java Gel Stain

Bathroom Cabinet Remodel (Java Gel Stain)

We bought a house and the bathroom countertops were just UGLY! I could't stand looking at it anymore and had to do something about it. I didn't want to spent very much money and I found the perfect solution. There are some cheap granite countertops with the sink already attached. They have these at both Home Depot and Lowes. I looked at all the different options and decided to go with one of the more expensive ones at Home Depot because I loved the color of the granite. Luckily, it went on sale right after we bought it, so I was able to call and get it for the sale price. I think we ended up spending about $180. It requires a widespread faucet, so we had to and buy a new faucet. We bought the cheapest one for $89. We are keeping our old sink and faucet for our future bathroom in our unfinished basement. Buying a new faucet didn't hurt too bad since we won't have to buy a new one later. Anyway, we had this brand new granite counter top for our bathroom, so I decided to give our cabinets a little makeover too. I found some cheap Java Gel Stain (General Finishes) for about $8 for the 1/2 pint size. I also bought the clear coat for $8. I also bought sand paper, painters tape (which we already had), an old sheet to cover the floor, and some old socks. The cabinets probably cost about $20 total. Not too bad.

How to stain cabinets:

1. Take off cabinet door and drawers.

2. Lightly sand cabinets, inside and out.

3. Wipe wood particles off the cabinets. You may need to dampen a wash cloth, wipe them down, and wipe with dry rag. Let dry.

4. Tape where cabinets meet the wall, countertop, and floor. Lay down sheet or something to protect the floor.

5. Apply gel stain to cabinets with a sock. You may want to wear plastic gloves under the sock, otherwise your fingers and nails will be stained dark. ***Only stain one small area at a time and don't use too much. It will look scary after the first coat and you will be wondering what in the world you have done. Don't worry. You have two more coats to go. It will look better.